Why Most Scrum Masters Are Failing and What They Should Know
As a DevOps consultant, Agile consultant, and trainer, I’ve worked with hundreds of companies to improve their software product development. It’s astonishing how many Scrum Masters lack even a basic understanding of Scrum, let alone the expertise required to support the teams they work with.
You can't stop the signal! But you can ignore it!
In organizational development and team dynamics, Agile (as the Agile Manifesto delineates) and Scrum (as the Scrum Guide outlines) guide teams not by solving their problems but by illuminating the issues that demand attention. These frameworks aim to identify and spotlight the challenges within a team or organization’s processes, effectively saying, “This is wrong, go fix it!” when a team struggles to produce a working product due to various obstacles. These are clear signals!
Pragmatism crushes Dogma in the wild
In my journey of delivering an immersive Product Development Mentor Program over the last eight weeks, a compelling narrative unfolded that beautifully illustrates the essence and true strength of Scrum. This story, rooted in the practical application of Scrum through Minecraft, unveils the depth of adaptability and resilience that Scrum can foster within a team.
Blocked Columns on Kanban Boards Obfuscate Workflow and Undermine Effectiveness
The Boards in Azure DevOps are a powerful tool that your teams can leverage to enable transparent visualization of the current state of value delivery. However, the inclusion of Blocked columns can stealthily erode the very foundations of efficiency these boards are meant to uphold. By obfuscating the state of work-in-progress and breeding a culture of hands-off responsibility, Blocked columns can become the silent saboteurs in your workflow.
The Evolution of Agile Learning: Insights from Scrum.org's Webinar
This week, I participated in a Scrum.org Webinar hosted by Sabrina Love (Scrum.org Product Owner) as well as my colleagues, Joanna Płaskonka, Ph.D. and Alex Ballarin to discuss the state of learning and how immersive learning is the future of training.
The 7 Deadly Sins of Agile: A Grecian Odyssey through Modern Software Development
In the rich tapestry of ancient Greek philosophy, the concept of the seven deadly sins stands out as a profound exploration of human nature and morality. Deeply rooted in Greek thought, these sins were not seen as fleeting transgressions. Instead, they were formidable obstacles, barriers between individuals and a virtuous, fulfilling life.
How to Set and Achieve Effective Sprint Goals
Many teams grapple with the intricacies of Scrum, and one of the most pivotal components is the Sprint Goal. It’s not just a fleeting thought or a mere list of tasks; it’s a commitment, a promise, and a clear direction.
The Definition of Done: Ensuring Quality without Compromising Value
The Definition of Done (DoD) is a sacrosanct measure of quality, ensuring that every piece of work meets the standards necessary for release. On the other hand, acceptance criteria focus on the work’s content. Merging the two can risk the integrity of a working, usable product. This article delves into the nuances of maintaining the sanctity of the DoD while ensuring the delivery of valuable increments.
Deciphering the Enigma of Story Points Across Teams
Over the past decade, a recurring query has been echoing in my ears: “How can we normalise Story Points across teams so that we can look across and maybe compare teams?” It’s high time we address this.
Decoding Scrum Team Work: Balancing Sprint and Refinement Work
Software Development is not just a systematic process but a dynamic interplay of critical work that shapes the progress of your product. A Scrum team’s work can be classified into Sprint work and Refinement. To steer your Scrum Team towards success, it’s essential to understand, manage, and balance these two types of work. This article dives deep into the heart of Scrum team operations, offering clear-cut strategies and innovative visualisation techniques to help you understand and manage your Sprint work and Refinement processes effectively. Decode the intricacies of Scrum teamwork and unlock the path to achieving your product goals with increased efficiency.
The Race for Market Responsiveness: A Fresh Perspective on Organisational Agility
As I sit here, sipping my morning cup of tea, I ponder the current state of organisational agility. I’ve been in this game long enough to have seen the rise and fall of various methodologies, each promising to be the silver bullet that will solve all of an organisation’s woes. I was initially an ALM consultant, then DevOps. But, as I’ve often found, the reality is far from the promise.
Rethinking 'User Stories': A Call for Clarity in Product Backlog Management
As someone who has spent a fair amount of time in the trenches of product development, I’ve realised that the language we use to describe our work can profoundly shape our approach to it. One term that I believe has been misused and misunderstood to the point of causing more harm than good is “User Stories”.
Sculpting the Product Backlog: A Delicate Balance Between Lean Inventory and Future Readiness
In the realm of product development, crafting an efficient Product Backlog is an endeavour akin to sculpting a masterpiece. Just as sculptors chisel away the excess marble to reveal the form within, product managers must carefully mould their backlog, ensuring it’s a lean inventory that reflects the unrealized value of the product. The Product Backlog must encapsulate our current aspirations for the product while being transparent and understandable to all stakeholders. It’s a living artefact that dynamically evolves with the product. However, we must also resist the temptation to create an overwhelming catalogue that loses its sharpness and becomes a weight dangling around the team’s neck.
Rethinking Product Backlog: Navigating Through the Weeds of Complexity
The Product Backlog is a critical asset in Agile product development; it represents a dynamic lean inventory of everything the product needs. For those of us navigating the multifaceted landscape of product development, there is often an impulse to seek an ideal structure for the Product Backlog. The familiar hierarchy of Initiative->Epic->Feature->User Story->Task/Bug is a common schema. However, before embracing this structure as a silver bullet, it’s imperative to critically evaluate the implications of imposing a hierarchy on the Product Backlog and to recognize the nuanced dynamics of working in complex environments. In this article, I will examine the delicate interplay between Product Backlog management and the intrinsic nature of complex systems.
Navigating the Future with a Fine-Tuned Product Backlog
As a seasoned Agile consultant, I find myself amidst conversations about the mechanics of a successful Agile project. Today, I focus on an essential yet often underappreciated aspect - the Product Backlog. A well-ordered Product Backlog that is comprehensible to all stakeholders is a critical beacon that illuminates the path to a transparent future.
From Unused Gym Memberships to Agile Implementation The Parallels of Misapplied Investments
In software development, an increasingly prevalent phenomenon is the adoption of agile methodologies, akin to individuals embarking on fitness journeys through gym memberships. However, a striking parallel between the two realms can be drawn – the misuse and under-utilization of the tools at disposal. The essence of this analogy reflects a more fundamental notion: the gap between intention and implementation.
Storms of Neglect The Perils of Not Delivering Usable Products in Agile Iterations
In light of the importance professional teams place on delivering usable, working products, I find myself compelled to address the woes that befall teams that need to adhere to this crucial tenet. We understand the need for working products; now, let us dissect the perils of straying from this righteous path.
How Usable Working Products Are Your Ultimate Weapon Against Risks
It baffles me how some agile teams, who claim to be the pioneers of modernity, are living in archaic times where usable working products are as rare as unicorns! Just a heads-up, my dear agile practitioners: the linchpin of Agile is a Usable Working Product. Yes, you read it right!
Risk Mitigation: Agile Usable Products vs Documentation in Traditional Project Management
As the software development landscape evolves, evaluating the time-tested traditional project management strategies alongside the burgeoning agile methodologies is essential. The central tenet I would like to explore today is comparing using usable working products as a risk mitigation strategy in Agile with the elaborate documentation characteristic of traditional project management.
A Titanic Misfit: The Alpha Organization's Wasteful Endeavor in Red Markets
Under the ruthless canopy of the red market, I find myself staring at the bloated behemoth of an Alpha organisation, huffing and puffing in a vain attempt to keep up with the frenzied pace of the modern world. The Alpha model, once a paragon of order and efficiency in the leisurely blue market era, has now morphed into a lumbering dinosaur, with its hierarchical structures and rigid command and control systems looking out of place in the high-speed, unpredictable red markets.
